Sleeping Beauty- Natsumi and Ulquiorra
by NatsumiTomoko
Summary: This is my version of Sleeping Beauty, with my OC Natsumi as the beautiful princess and Ulquiorra Cifer as the handsome prince. I own nothing, this is just a fun retelling :). OCs of both my own creation and my friend's will be used, in addition to characters from the anime Bleach. I hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

In a kingdom far, far away, there lived a mighty king and his wife. They had everything that one could ask for: a beautiful palace, servants, and all the money in the world. Well...they ALMOST had everything. There was one thing that they wanted, more than anything in the world: a child. For years, they struggled to conceive. Each time was met with a miscarriage, each one worse than the last. After the last one, she broke down crying. Her husband rushes over and pulls her into a tight hug.

"Oh, Katashi, I'm so sorry. I wish I could give you the heir that you so desperately want…" The queen sniffles. Her husband, cold as he is mighty, leans down and whispers into her ear.

"If you don't deliver a child within this year, I shall see to your exile." He lets go of his wife, leaving her sobbing out of fear and sorrow.

It is not only the beloved queen that suffered at the hands of the tyrannical Katashi. All of the working class feared him. His taxes only increased year after year, and he wanted only the finest of things. Many shop owners lost their livelihoods due to him and his pickiness. The village women cried when they sent their beloved daughters to work for him, knowing his abusive tendencies. When those girls received the boot, they were never the same. They flinched whenever someone yelled at them, and feared their own fathers. Some never spoke again, or took their own lives to escape the terrifying nightmares they suffered. The poor queen, she was powerless. However, she was loved by all of the people. If you were to ask some of the village folk, she was the sole reason that they stayed. They could only hope that Katashi died, so she could take charge.

The queen sneaks out of the castle late one night. There was one place that could help her. Making sure to keep her bag of money carefully hidden away, she takes off to the woods, in search of the people who could help her. These mysterious people only made an appearance to a certain few, the beautiful yet melancholy queen being one of the few. After walking quite a way, she stops in a field bathed in moonlight. She sits on a flat rock and patiently waits. A few moments pass, three people walk towards her. Each wore traveling cloaks, making it impossible to distinguish if they were male or female. Once they were near the queen, they each took their cloaks off. It was easy to see that they couldn't have been more different. The first of the trio was male, with bright, spiky orange hair and brown eyes, eyebrows furrowed as if he's constantly angry. His normally peach colored skin looked pale beneath the moonlight. One should not be fooled by his lean build, for he was known for his strength and skill in fighting. Despite this, his demeanor was a peaceful one, but he carried himself as a soldier, his guard never lowering. The second member of the trio had long, bright orange hair and bore a strong resemblance to the first stranger, but her features were a bit softer. She was built elegantly, with a gentle demeanor. Finally, the third stranger made her appearance. She had long, waist length burnt orange hair and brown eyes. Her bangs were pulled back with exquisite hair pins behind her ears. She had a slim, curvy figure which was expertly hidden underneath her thick cloak. Unlike the other two, she had a sweet and pleasant demeanor.

The queen stands and bows.

"Adalina." The first female softly speaks.

"There's really no need…" The second female trails off.

"To be formal with us." The male finishes.

She quickly stands up straight and removes the bag of money from her cloak. The trio stare at her carefully. Adalina opens her mouth to explain the whole story, but the three quickly interrupt her.

"We know." The male starts.

"A child is what you wish for." The first female finishes.

"We're your last hope." The second female calmly says.

"Yes…" Adalina confirms. "Please, good fairies, help me, so that another young woman will not endure his cruelty." She gets on her knees and bows. "I-I brought payment…" She hiccups, her trembling hand holding the bag of money.

They just stare at her. Here was the fair and gentle queen, on her hands and knees, begging for their help. The second female finds herself feel pity for the poor woman, as it was known that she married a power hungry brute. She gets on her knees in front of the queen and gently puts her hand down.

"Fear not, Queen Adalina. We'll help you." She smiles. "You and your family have been kind to us."

Adalina looks up at her, surprised. "R-Really?"

The third fairy nods, her smile even warmer than before. She looks over at her companions, giving them a firm look. The two nod.

"We'll help you." The male began.

"But we have a few conditions." The female finishes.

"Anything. Anything at all!" Adalina proclaims.

"We stay involved in the child's life." The kind fairy states.

"Your new laws will be concerned with the protection of the few fairies that are left." The male and female simultaneously declare.

Adalina quickly nods. "Your conditions will be met."

Nine months later, the kingdom was throwing an extravagant celebration. The king and queen finally bore a child, a daughter. Almost everyone was invited, with the three good fairies being the guests of honor. The baby slept in her cradle, unaware of the fuss she created. Katashi stood tall and proud, rarely leaving his daughter's side. The king from the neighboring kingdom arrives a few minutes later, his young son in tow. Katashi and the other king greet each other.

"Katashi! Finally, old man!" The visiting king laughs, slapping Katashi on the back. "Now my Ulquiorra will have a bride, at long last."

The boy didn't seem too thrilled about this new development. His emerald green eyes carefully examine the tiny infant. His black eyebrows furrow from disgust. Like all little boys, he didn't care for the idea of love and marriage.

"Father." The young prince tug on his father's cloak.

"What is it, Ulquiorra?" He asks, looking down at his son.

"Must I marry this…" He trails off, not quite finding the right word to describe the little princess.

"We'll discuss this later." His father simply replies, shooting his son a certain look.

Finally, it was time to bestow the princess with gifts. The subjects went first, many of them presenting her with beautiful handmade jewelry and clothing. Lastly, the three fairies go to present their gifts to the princess. The kind fairy goes first. Her purple dress gently flutters as she floats over to the princess, who's still sleeping in her cradle.

"I, the fairy Orihime, present Princess Natsumi with my gift: the gift of beauty." She waves her wand over the sleeping infant, a warm blue light surrounding the princess. After a few moments, the light goes away.

The other female floats forward to the princess, her white dress barely touching the ground.

"I, the fairy Hatsune, present Princess Natsumi with my gift: the gift of song." She waves her wand over the infant princess, a warm white glow surrounding the babe. After a few moments, the glow dims and vanishes.

Just before the male fairy can deliver his gift, a loud roar emanates from the middle of the room.

When everyone turned in that direction, bright white flames appeared. The flames die down and a man stands where the flames were not a moment ago. This man, like the three good fairies, appeared to be human, with some fairy characteristics: pointed ears, prominent cheekbones and inhumanly gorgeous eyes. Unlike the three fairies, he had horns growing from his head. His horns were raven colored and pointed at the tip. This man radiated evil. For you see, this man was an evil fairy. He even dressed the part, with his brown hair styled back and his brown eyes colder than ice. He scans the room, a cold smile appearing on his face. The intruder wore black, tight garments, almost like the clothes the king himself was wearing. One hand holds a scepter. He laughs a little, making everyone's blood run cold.

"Well," he purrs. "It seems that I arrived just in time. He says nonchalantly, dusting some dust off his shoulder. The room was so silent that baby Natsumi's soft breathing could be heard by everyone in the room. The intruder turns to the horrified parents.

"I apologize for my tardiness. Travel is so unpredictable." He chuckles a little, snapping his fingers. His traveling cloak floats off his back and disappeared in a puff of smoke. He rubs his hands.

"Now then." He says, opening his mouth to speak again. Katashi quickly cuts him off.

"What are you doing here, Aizen?" The king asks coldly, arms crossed tightly over his chest. Adaline pulls her baby girl into her arms.

"Why, I'm here to attend this lovely social gathering. It's not every day that a princess is born." He smiles coldly.

"You weren't invited." Katashi practically hissed.

Silence. Aizen's eyes widened slightly, his smile fading. After a few tense moments, Aizen offers a faint smile. Everyone, including Orihime, Hatsune, and the male fairy, anxiously hold their breath.

"Oh my. What an awkward situation." He snaps his fingers and his cloak appears again. His scepter glows.

"Leave at once." Katashi commands.

"But of course." He fastens his cloak again.

Katashi and Adalina visibly relax. Aizen clears his throat.

"Before I leave, I also have a gift for the princess." Aizen purrs, his scepter glowing a bright red. Katashi can't help his curiosity.

"What kind of gift?" He asks, his eyebrow arching.

"Oh, a little something that I made." Aizen shrugs. A paintbrush appears beside him, an ominous purple light surrounding it.

"A paintbrush?" Adalina asks, confused.

"Not just any paintbrush. The best paintbrush in my collection. This paintbrush will give me the greatest art piece of all." His eyes focus on the infant in her mother's arms.

"Stop speaking in riddles, man!" Katashi yells, his face beginning to turn red. Adalina says nothing, her brain processing the riddle.

"I'm a very patient art collector. I shall collect my piece in sixteen years. I just love art pieces involving princesses." He smiles coldly.

Adalina quickly puts it together. "No! Not my daughter, y-you FIEND." She pulls Natsumi close to her chest, turning her around to somehow protect her

"One touch of this paintbrush, and your daughter will be the most exquisite piece in my collection. You poor, poor, fools!" He chuckles, vanishing in a flurry of white flames.

The room erupts in a panic. Adalina holds her daughter tightly, causing the babe to cry out from the pain. Katashi yells for guards to chase after the wicked fairy. The three fairies set to work, making their wands produce loud, booming noises, getting everyone's attention. The male fairy rushes forward, his orange robes flying behind him. The princess begins to cry, as if the gift from Aizen physically pained her.

"I cannot undo Aizen's spell." He sounds apologetic. "But I can do this, since I haven't given the princess my gift." He gently turns the queen around, forcing her to loosen her grip on the child.

"I, the fairy Ichigo, present Princess Natsumi with my gift: that her life be spared. Instead of becoming marble or stone, she shall enter eternal slumber until True Love's kiss awakens her." A warm orange light surrounds the princess, who finally opens her eyes. They were brown, like both of her parents' eyes. They scan the room curiously. Adalina springs into action.

"Thank you all for coming. We're grateful for your generous and beautiful gifts. You may leave." Seeing the look on their fair and gentle queen's face, they all went home, save for the three fairies. They rush to the king and queen's sides.

"We have to destroy all paintbrushes! At once!" Katashi proclaims, his hands balling into fists.

"A good idea." Ichigo agrees.

"She'll have guards around her at all times." Adalina inputs, holding Natsumi close. Orihime shakes her head in disagreement.

"She can't stay here. This is the first place Aizen would attack." Orihime firmly states.

"T-Then what do we do?" Adalina trembles a little. Natsumi coos, fussing a little.

All three fairies share a look with each other and nod.

"Your Majesties…" Ichigo begins.

"We have a solution." Hatsune finishes.

"Please tell us." Adalina pleads.

"We'll raise Natsumi, in a cottage in the woods." Orihime states.

"NO." Katashi angrily replies. "I'm not having my daughter raised by creatures!" He slams his fist on a nearby table. The noise frightens his daughter, who begins to cry. He whips around and glares at the crying girl. "Be quiet, girl! No heir of mine cries!" He roars at her. Her cries only grow louder. This was enough to make his gentle wife snap.

"SHUT UP! That damn fist slamming scared her! And will you listen to them? Their plan is the only option we have, Katashi. We can't lose her." Her lip quivers slightly. Katashi grumbles, furious at his wife for humiliating him in front of the fairies. Adalina kisses her daughter's forehead, looking at her for the last time.

"We shall follow your plan. With one request: you bring her back on her sixteenth birthday so she may be officially crowned."

The three fairies nod.

"But of course." They agree. Adalina turns to her infant daughter. She whispers in her ear. "I love you, my little princess." She kisses her daughter's forehead again. She then hands her daughter to her husband, who just holds her and memorizes every detail of her. It was later said that he devoted most of his time to drawing endless sketches of his daughter, to preserve her memory and possibly guess who she would resemble in the future.

The princess was smuggled out of the palace in the dead of night, under the cover of moonlight. The next morning, King Katashi declared that every last paintbrush would be turned in and burned. The whole kingdom obliged and turned in their brushes to be burned. All of the materials needed to create paintbrushes were destroyed as well, artists were forced to redo their craft. Katashi's reign of iron was about to get worse.

The three fairies arrive at their cottage, the princess fast asleep in her blankets. They gently put her in a cradle, then stare at each other, unsure of what to do next. They've never cared for a child before, let alone a newborn infant.

"Well Orihime...this was your plan. What do you suggest we do?" Hatsune crosses her arms over her chest.

"Let me think…" Orihime responds rubbing her temples.

Ichigo just stares at the child, slowly falling in love with the little girl. He decides to speak up.

"We'll need to rename her. So no one will suspect a thing." Ichigo states, gently putting his finger in her tiny hand.

"An alias! That's a brilliant idea, Ichi-nii!" Hatsune beams.

"But what should we name her?" Orihime asks.

"I like the name Rukia…" Ichigo trails off once he sees the looks on his companions' faces.

"That name doesn't suit her." Hatsune states rather firmly.

Orihime snaps her fingers. "I got it! How about Lizabeth?" She suggests, her whole face lighting up.

All three of them beam. "Perfect!" They proclaim in unison.

Hatsune then gets an idea.

"Guys, I have an idea for the perfect cover: no magic."

Orihime and Ichigo look horrified.

"No magic?" Ichigo asks.

"How will we function?" Orihime questions.

"We'll have to adjust to human life. How hard can it be?" Hatsune shrugs her shoulders.


	2. Chapter 2

Sixteen long years pass. With each year, the princess (Elizabeth from this point forward) grows more and more beautiful. Her beautiful face with chocolate brown eyes is beautifully framed by her long, straight brown hair. Her body is built elegantly, and is perfect for her petite frame. She looked just like her mother, with her father's eye shape. Finally, it's approaching her sixteenth birthday. The day before her sixteenth birthday, her two aunts and uncle send her out to gather some herbs for dinner. She happily agrees and leaves. Ichigo, Hatsune, and Orihime all sit down and start planning a little surprise party for their beloved Elizabeth.

In the heart of the nearby mountains, there lies the feared palace of evil. Gothic towers seemingly touched the sky. Numerous courtyards were scattered among the place. Each courtyard had various statues. Statues of animals and people were everywhere. Something was eerie about these statues. Though beautiful, each face was full of fear and death. In the center of the large courtyard, there lay a pedestal. This pedestal was unlike all the others. This pedestal was decorated with jewels, a nameplate at the bottom. This nameplate had a name engraved in the middle of it: Natsumi.

Aizen sat on his throne, twirling his scepter around in his fingers, like it was nothing but a toy. He sighs impatiently.

"Why?" He murmurs. "Why, why, why?"

He gets up, walking outside to his courtyard. He stops in front of Natsumi's pedestal.

"Why can't I find her? My art collection is...inadequate." He growls in frustration, his scepter glowing a blood red color. A white raven lands on his right shoulder.

"Gin...it's been sixteen years. Why can't I find her?" Aizen growls again. Gin pecks his master's head. Aizen sighs.

"I know, Gin, patience is the key. Tomorrow, my revenge must take place." He turns to his beloved companion. "Fly. Go and find her. Don't return until you find her. Look for anything." He commands his pet. Gin takes to the skies. Aizen continues to stare at the pedestal. He smiles coldly. "Soon, princess, you'll be the most beautiful piece of my collection."

Elizabeth goes to get some berries for dinner that night. She didn't mind this chore. She enjoyed going out into the woods, mainly to see her animal friends, and to stare at the nearby King and Queen's magnificent palace. She sighs dreamily.

"Wouldn't it be something...to live in that beautiful castle…" She smiles. Remembering her task, she returns into the woods. She begins to sing, the oh so beautiful voice echoing throughout the woods. Animals flock around her. She sings about love, and wanting to have a better life for she and her guardians.

While Elizabeth was out gathering berries, Ichigo, Hatsune, and Orihime get to work, preparing the little cottage for the birthday party. Sadly, they realize that they lacked the skills necessary to make this party happen. Ichigo and Hatsune had very different ideas about the perfect dress, while Orihime (bless her soul) made a cake suitable for something that had a very, very strong stomach. It wasn't safe for human or fairy consumption. Ichigo throws his hands up in frustration.

"That's it!" He proclaims. "This is a disaster!"

"Ichigo, don't-" Hatsu begins, but Ichigo cuts her off.

"We NEED magic. Don't you want a perfect party for her? "He asks his sister.

"W-Well yes…" Hatsu replies.

"Then we can use a little magic." He replies confidently.

Orihime disagrees.

"But...Aizen…" She begins.

"We'll keep the magic to a minimum. Five minutes, tops." Ichigo promises.

After much deliberation, Hatsune and Orihime reluctantly agree. Ichigo goes to a hidden cupboard, pulling out their three wands. He hands the wands to their respected owners, and they set to work.

While all of this was going on, the prince was riding through the woods on his trusty steed named Grimmjow. He clicks his tongue, signaling the steed to stop.

"Do you hear that?" He murmurs.

Grimmjow snorts and nods, as if he was agreeing with him.

"Let's go find it." He clicks the reins, and off they go.

The albino raven has been flying around for hours. Feeling his wings tire, he lands on a branch to rest, if only for a moment. While resting, he decides to just enjoy the view.

The preparation party is almost done, the magic completing every simple task. However, the fairies have forgotten one simple thing.

The raven perks up, having sensed traces of magic. He ruffles his feathers, and takes off again, towards the source of magic.

Meanwhile, the traveling prince is desperately trying to find the source of the beautiful voice. He's about to give up when he stumbles onto a meadow, where he saw a woman dancing around. Curious, he quietly ties Grimmjow to a tree, then hides behind a bush to observe this young woman.

She sits down, putting the basket full of berries down on her lap. She plays with some in her fingers.

"Dreams offer an escape for me...I can't help but dream of my love whisking me away…" She sighs dreamily. She unknowingly turns her head towards the bush where the prince is hiding.

His eyes widen, all the air leaving his lungs. Never before had he seen such a beautiful woman. No princess could compare. She had to be inhuman. A sprite perhaps. Before the next coherent thought could form in his head, he found himself walking towards her.

She freezes, not expecting a visitor, especially a visitor as handsome as this one. His beautiful snow white skin, ebony hair, and emerald eyes. Her fight or flight instinct kicks in and she picks up her basket and stands up quickly, ready to run and hide. Before she can escape, he gently takes her hand.

"Wait, miss! I'm sorry for frightening you." He quickly apologizes. She stops and blushes.

"I-It's okay." She replies, her beautiful almost musical voice creeping into every nook and cranny in his mind.

"What's your name, my dear?" He asks.

"Lizabeth." She replies, a smile creeping onto her face.

"Ulquiorra." He smiles. A rare sight to see.

The raven follows his instincts, tracking the magic. He arrives at a small cottage. Curious, he quietly lands on the windowsill...and watches.

The three fairies are performing magic to finish the decorating.

"How I missed this." Ichigo laughs.

Orihime giggles. "I agree!"

Even Hatsune is having fun, not having performed magic for sixteen years.

"Oh I hope she likes the party…" Hatsune mumbles to herself.

"She'll love it!" Ichigo and Orihime responds simultaneously.

"She'll especially love her pink dress." Hatsune grins.

"No! Purple is her color." Ichigo vehemently disagrees.

"Pink."

"Purple."

"Pink."

"Pur-"

"Enough! Why don't we let her choose what color she wants?" Orihime suggests.

"We better put them away…" Hatsune says worriedly.

The raven has seen enough. He's found what he's looking for. He takes off, to return to his master.

Ulquiorra and Elizabeth are sitting next to each other, flirting and enjoying each other's company.

"Lizabeth!" Her Aunt Orihime calls.

"I must be going now..." She sounds apologetic.

"Whatever for?" He asks, sounding a little crestfallen.

"It's time for dinner, they're making my favorite. It's my birthday today." She smiles.

"Happy birthday, Lizabeth!" He smiles. "When will I see you again?"

"Tomorrow." She responds, her tone leaving no room for arguments.

He raises an eyebrow, grinning. "Yes, ma'am."

He chuckles, standing to go to his horse. She leaves to her simple home.

She arrives to a seemingly dark home.

"Uncle Ichigo? Aunt Hime? Aunt Hatsu? Where are you?"

Before she can move, all three of them jump up and open the windows.

"SURPRISE!" All three yell at the same time.

Elizabeth jumps a little. Then she laughs.

"Oh you three!" She laughs and hugs her beloved guardians. "You shouldn't have."

"It's not every day a young lady turns sixteen." Orihime smiles and chuckles.

"Look at what we made for you, Hun." Hatsune gestures to the dress and cake. Elizabeth gasps.

"Purple! How did you know?" Elizabeth beams and rushes to the beautiful gown. It was a dark purple gown, with the skirt reaching to her feet. The top of the dress was fitted to her body type, showing off her waist, making it seem small. There were sleeves, which met her wrists. Along the bottom was a gold trim, acting like a border.

"I love it!" Elizabeth beams and hugs them. When she wasn't looking, Ichigo gave his sister a smug look. In return, she just rolled her eyes.

"It's fit for a princess." Elizabeth sighs happily.

Ichigo, Orihime, and Hatsune all exchange a glance. She notices, and her smile drops a little.

"What's wrong?" She asks, fearing the worst.

Orihime stands and walks over to her, gently sitting her down in a chair. She sits next to the bewildered teen.

"Elizabeth, my love, do you remember asking me about your parents? When you were really little?" Orihime asks.

"Yes, of course." Elizabeth answers truthfully.

"Well…" How should I put this delicately? Orihime wonders to herself. After a few minutes, she speaks again. "We're taking you to them, tonight. They've been waiting to meet you, sweetheart."

Elizabeth nods. This was perfectly reasonable, but why did her guardians sound so grim, like it was the worst thing to happen to all three of them?

"That sounds reasonable. Will we back tomorrow?" She asks, remembering her promise to the bewitching Ulquiorra.

At this question, all three of her guardians share a grim look. This time, Ichigo was the first to speak.

"Elizabeth…" He kneels next to her. "You'll be staying with your parents from now on."

The poor girl sits there, stunned, her heart stopping for just a moment.

"Y-You mean…" She stops. After all, she could always come back. Why start a fuss? "Never mind. But I can always visit, right?" She asks, curling a strand of hair with her fingers.

"Of course, honey." Ichigo reassures. He couldn't make her upset. This was to be her special day, a day of joy. After all, all three of them will still be involved in her life, as per the agreement with the queen.

"When are we leaving?" Elizabeth asks.

"Right after you have a piece of cake. Aunt Hime baked it, just for you." Hatsu smiles warmly.

Aizen wandered through his palace, his anxiety on overdrive. What if that cursed brat escaped? Then he would be a fool, like that bastard Katashi. His reputation, which he worked so hard to create and later maintain, would be in tatters. But most of all, he wouldn't have the finest art collection. His failure would be known until the next millennium. He clenches his jaw, angry beyond belief. He felt the need to break something, but wisely walked away before anyone would see him lose his cool and collected demeanor. Quickly, he walks to his studio, where his most valuable brush was patiently waiting for him.

What a beautiful paintbrush it was. The bristles were made from the finest hair, the wooden part of the brush carved from the finest wood available. Green light surrounded the exquisite brush. He gently holds the paintbrush in his hands.

"You will create the most beautiful work of art that I'll ever own." He smiles softly, looking like a normal person for once. Gin flies into the room, cawing. Aizen turns, a cold smile returning to his face.

"I hope you bring good news, my friend. Or it's fowl on the menu." He threatens, his purr returning. Gin caws, since he couldn't talk. Luckily, Aizen can understand him perfectly. An evil grin creeps onto his face.

"Now who's the fool, Katashi Tomoko~" He purrs, the paintbrush and scepter glowing a bright green.

Elizabeth changes into her dress, expertly styling her hair into a bun. Grabbing some parchment and a quill, she hastily writes a note to Ulquiorra.

"Ulquiorra,

I apologize, but I can't meet with you, I'm no longer living at this place. I'm now with my parents. I hope we can meet another time…Despair not, our paths will cross soon. I'm certain of this. Farewell, Prince.

-Elizabeth"

She hears someone knocking at her door. She hides the note under her pillow.

"Are you ready, Hun?" Orihime asks, tightening her purple cloak. In her arm, she holds Elizabeth's black cloak.

"Yes, Aunt Hime." She takes one final look at her room, and off they went.

At the palace, it's chaotic. Every servant is running around, making sure that everything's absolutely perfect for their beloved princess. The fair queen, too, was running around, putting the finishing touches to her daughter's bedroom. Katashi patiently waits in the throne room, dressed in his best clothes, his crown excessively polished just for this occasion. Adalina wears her most special dress, which makes its appearance not even once a year. Worried, she turns to her beloved servant.

"Masaki, do you think she'll like it?" Adalina asks nervously, curling a strand of hair with her finger.

"Of course, Your Majesty." Masaki reassures her.

Katashi strums his fingers on the armrest of his throne. His trusted servant and adviser, Isshin, keeps reassuring him that their beloved daughter will not think of him poorly.

Elizabeth's grip on her cloak tightens. They were going towards, no. TO the palace. Maybe her parents worked in the palace. But why was she dressed up in such a nice dress? She wasn't sure, but she was determined to find out. Finally, they reach the entrance to the palace.

Elizabeth can barely believe it. They were going into the palace, the palace that she's been longing to see! She smiles excitedly, looking over at her guardians, who all return her smile. They're dressed in their best clothes, orange for Ichigo, amber for Hatsune (she ditched white after determining that it was a romantic color), and purple for Orihime.

The door to the throne room opens, and the king and queen's breaths catches in their throats for just a moment. Here she was, their beautiful and most beloved daughter. Katashi feels a warm, genuine smile appear on his face. Adalina almost cries from joy. Orihime walks Elizabeth to just in front of the step leading to the thrones. Before Elizabeth can even blink, Adalina rushes to her, pulling her into a tight hug, finally breaking down.

"Natsumi, my precious Natsumi, finally…" She murmurs, her hands trembling.

Elizabeth, now Natsumi, slowly hugs her back. However, she was thoroughly confused. Who was this Natsumi? Deciding not to ask, she continues hugging the woman.

"O-Oh silly me. I forgot to introduce myself." She wipes her eyes. "I'm Adalina Tomoko, the queen of this land." She carefully examines her daughter's face.

Natsumi, with a jolt, realizes that she and Queen Adalina look almost exactly the same...as if they were mother and daughter. Natsumi slowly puts the pieces together. She turns to look at the King, whom she reasoned to be her father. She then looks back at her uncle and aunts. Finally, she speaks.

"I'm Princess Natsumi...aren't I?"

All three nod, and Natsumi almost faints.


	3. Chapter 3

While the sweet, tense, and awkward reunion was happening, Aizen gathers his nine henchmen. They establish their headquarters in the very same cottage that Natsumi and the three good fairies lived. Aizen wanders around the house and stumbles upon the girl's bedroom. He smirks. Now he'll learn more about her. After all, the best way to getting to know someone was studying where they lived. Examining the room, he determined that she didn't know anything relevant. He goes through her things. While looking under her bed, his hand feels something under the pillow. Standing, he pulls the item. It was a note, signed Elizabeth.

"You won't get away from me...Elizabeth, or should I say Natsumi?" Setting the note down, he alerts his men to the possibility of an intruder. When he deemed his men ready for battle, he vanishes in a puff of smoke. He had an appointment at the palace that he had to keep.

Natsumi sits there, stunned. She couldn't have imagined the truth. Adalina and Katashi look over at her sympathetically.

"It's a lot to take in... Maybe she should go lay down." Adalina suggests.

"If that's okay with you…" Natsumi trails off.

"Isshin, Masaki." Katashi called for them. "Escort our daughter to her room."

After reassuring Isshin and Masaki that she didn't need anything, Natsumi gently closes the door. She sits in front of her mirror, deep in thought. What a strange turn of events, she thought to herself. Before, she was a simple peasant girl and now she was the princess. Who would've known? Although she was thrilled, she couldn't help but be saddened. She missed her old life, and longed to see Ulquiorra again.

"But maybe our paths will cross again." She mumbles to herself. She notices a package on the bed.

"Hmm? What's this?" She walks over to the bed and gently picks the package up. "Maybe it's a birthday gift from Mom and Dad." She quietly said to herself. Curious, she slowly opens the package. In it was something she's never seen before.

Aizen remains hidden in the shadows. He disguised himself as a servant, in case he was spotted.

The room gets colder somehow. Katashi orders for the fire to be tended to, while Adalina gets a horrible, sinking feeling in her stomach. Something wasn't right.

Finally, Natsumi holds the strange but beautiful object in her hands. Then, everything goes black.

Everyone runs to Natsumi's bedroom. Katashi's angry cry rings throughout the palace. He turns to the three fairies, his face red from fury.

"Guards! Guards! Arrest these...these...HEATHENS!" He screams. Adalina pleads and pleads with her husband to leave them be, that he was punishing the wrong persons. Fed up, he squarely hits his wife across her cheek, knocking her to the ground. "I order these three heathens to be executed!" He shouts.

Aizen miles and turns himself invisible. He begins to laugh. Everyone preset in the room stiffened immediately. Katashi turned an even darker red.

"AIZEN YOU BASTARD! I WILL HAVE YOU EXECUTED FOR THIS! JUST LIKE ALL OF YOUR PRECIOUS FAMILY!" He roars, veins jumping from his neck.

"Now, now Katashi. You brought this upon yourself~ It's quite fair, actually. You take what was most precious to me, and I take the most precious thing belonging to you." Aizen practically giggles, then he vanishes. The three fairies vanish as well, escaping from the guards. In retaliation, they make everyone in the kingdom fall into an eternal slumber, along with the beloved princess.

Ichigo gently sets Natsumi on her bed Even in sleep, she was so beautiful. Chocolate hair, ruby lips (a nice touch from Hatsune), and rosy cheeks...almost like a painting. They all sigh sadly. They failed at their ultimate goal: keeping her safe.

"I just hope...that her true love comes soon." Orihime sniffles, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"They will, Hun, they will." Ichigo pulls her close, pulling her into a comforting hug.

"I just hope she has a good dream...so she won't experience terror at both the nightmare and realizing she can't wake up…" Hatsune shakily mumbles.

Natsumi was falling, falling into this dark hole. She tries to scream, but nothing would come out. After seemingly an eternity, she finally lands in a clearing of some sorts. She quickly lands and brushes herself off.

"Where am I?" She murmurs to herself. She decides to look around.

It definitely was a clearing; one she hasn't been to before. Giggles and shouts of glee can be heard all throughout the clearing, but no one was there.

"Hello! Is anybody here?" She shouts, bravely moving from her spot. She crosses her arms, scared out of her wits. Fairies of all ages and sizes emerge from the surrounding woods, laughing and carefree. Natsumi has never seen so many fairies before.

"There are so many…" She whispers. She spots a lone woman, and tries to get the stranger's attention. "Help me, madam, please!"

The woman seemingly ignores her. Natsumi tries again.

"Madam! Miss, please answer me!" She pleads. The woman passes by-no, THROUGH the young woman. With a jolt, Natsumi realizes that she was dreaming. But for a dream, it sure felt real. She decided that it would be best if she went along with the strange dream.

Aizen quickly sets up his base in the castle. He brings out his secret weapons, including arsenic lined flowers and metal men that could be activated at his command. After making a few finishing touches, he was ready to begin battle. He sat on Katashi's throne...and waited.

They were all gathering for an event, a meeting perhaps. To get some answers, Natsumi follows them to the gathering place, located in the heart of the woods. In the center stood a handsome brunette man, with warm brown eyes and a kind smile. He claps his hands to get everyone's attention. Everyone silences, to show their beloved ruler some respect.

"My friends, my friends. I've called this meeting to reassure you that your fears are for naught. The humans don't wish to harm us in any way. Those who have spread those rumors shall be dealt with immediately."

The crowd cheers, and call for a celebration. After all, humans were their friends!

Natsumi sits there, beyond confused. What were those rumors? Who started them? She had to find the answers, and then figure out why she was having such a bizarre dream. Then the dream simmers, and she is in darkness once again.

She was in the clearing again, but this time it was nighttime. All of the fairies were gathered at a bonfire celebration, spirits high and merry. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed someone sneaking out of the merry festivities and towards a small hill. Curious of the person's identity, she followed it.

"Maybe that figure will be the answer in this mystery...I'm obviously here for a reason. But what is it?" She murmured to herself.

The figure stops on top of the hill, and she recognized it as the king from earlier. His handsome face was full of peace, a smile still on his face. He puts his hands on his hips, as if signaling his content with the goings on of his subjects. She walks to his side, hoping that he would talk.

"All is good...just as I planned it." He purrs. "Those humans wouldn't dare cross this valley. Not with my surprises for them."

She finds her stomach sinking. Something about this was giving her the creeps. And the king, something felt...odd. She knew this man somehow. But from where? Not from the woods, she remembered every visitor from the woods. Whoever he was, she had to learn more about him. There had to be a library of some sorts, one with records. Or there was the very slim possibility that someone could either see or hear her. Shaking her head, she decides to dismiss it and think about it later. She had other things to worry about. Deciding to walk into the village of the fairies, she searches for a hall of records of some sorts.


End file.
